An extract from The Uncovered Policeman - Made for TV by Ted Bun
The e-mail that arrived from Sean Cutter piqued Rags interest even before he had read it. An e-mail from Sean was a rare event. One with a subject line “Interesting Idea” was unheard of. The body of the e-mail was almost as enigmatic.
“Hi Rags,” it read. “I have had a visit from an old neighbour of mine and Gill’s, from back in the day. A guy called Ian Francis. He works in the TV industry, something to do with making light entertainment programmes. He is looking for a venue to make a drama programme. He visited us but, after we had talked it through, we decided that we couldn’t offer consistent enough weather for making a drama over several weeks.
“Consequently, I suggested your place, in early spring, might be better. He said he would get in touch. It all seems really genuine, unlike some of the documentary programs we get asked to participate in. Give him a listen.”
Rags went in search of his wife Bea, to see what she thought about the idea. Bea was not just his wife, mother of his children, photographic model and the reason he had become the man he was. She was his business partner.
They knew that this Ian Francis guy was trying to find a venue to make a programme, a programme about naturists, or so Rags deduced from him having contacted the Cutters and the onward referral to himself.
Bea’s opinion was, that the least they could do was give the man a hearing. After all, it wouldn’t cost anything and from what she had heard there was good money in being used as a location.
The letter arrived a week later. Mr Francis, of Bluestone Productions, would like to come and discuss a business proposition with the owners of L’Abeille Nue. He understood that Mr Cutter of Eden Gardens Naturist Resort had already mentioned the project.
It was the first week in November that Mr Francis. “Please call me Ian,” arrived at L’Abeille Nue. Rags opened the door to find a fair-haired man, with a neatly trimmed beard, probably in his mid-forties, wearing a Stockman’s coat and a waxed cotton hat. A bit inappropriate for the sunshine and blue skies, Rags thought. The big Dr Martens boots that completed his ensemble spoke of it being more of a style statement. He greeted Rags, clasping his hand in both of his and shaking it firmly. As Bea followed Rags to the door, Ian proffered a large bunch of flowers, produced with a flourish from behind his bag. He was off to a good start.
Over a cup of coffee, “Strong and black please”, Bea and Rags explained the layout of L’Abeille Nue.
“If you start with the pool as the centre, our house and the three accommodation blocks make up the four sides of a square around the pool area and the bar,” Rags described the layout. “Beyond that, there is the orchard and the Wellness Centre, in the other direction the car parking area and the storage barn that Paul, Bea’s brother, uses for his classic car rental business.”
The e-mail that arrived from Sean Cutter piqued Rags interest even before he had read it. An e-mail from Sean was a rare event. One with a subject line “Interesting Idea” was unheard of. The body of the e-mail was almost as enigmatic.
“Hi Rags,” it read. “I have had a visit from an old neighbour of mine and Gill’s, from back in the day. A guy called Ian Francis. He works in the TV industry, something to do with making light entertainment programmes. He is looking for a venue to make a drama programme. He visited us but, after we had talked it through, we decided that we couldn’t offer consistent enough weather for making a drama over several weeks.
“Consequently, I suggested your place, in early spring, might be better. He said he would get in touch. It all seems really genuine, unlike some of the documentary programs we get asked to participate in. Give him a listen.”
Rags went in search of his wife Bea, to see what she thought about the idea. Bea was not just his wife, mother of his children, photographic model and the reason he had become the man he was. She was his business partner.
They knew that this Ian Francis guy was trying to find a venue to make a programme, a programme about naturists, or so Rags deduced from him having contacted the Cutters and the onward referral to himself.
Bea’s opinion was, that the least they could do was give the man a hearing. After all, it wouldn’t cost anything and from what she had heard there was good money in being used as a location.
The letter arrived a week later. Mr Francis, of Bluestone Productions, would like to come and discuss a business proposition with the owners of L’Abeille Nue. He understood that Mr Cutter of Eden Gardens Naturist Resort had already mentioned the project.
It was the first week in November that Mr Francis. “Please call me Ian,” arrived at L’Abeille Nue. Rags opened the door to find a fair-haired man, with a neatly trimmed beard, probably in his mid-forties, wearing a Stockman’s coat and a waxed cotton hat. A bit inappropriate for the sunshine and blue skies, Rags thought. The big Dr Martens boots that completed his ensemble spoke of it being more of a style statement. He greeted Rags, clasping his hand in both of his and shaking it firmly. As Bea followed Rags to the door, Ian proffered a large bunch of flowers, produced with a flourish from behind his bag. He was off to a good start.
Over a cup of coffee, “Strong and black please”, Bea and Rags explained the layout of L’Abeille Nue.
“If you start with the pool as the centre, our house and the three accommodation blocks make up the four sides of a square around the pool area and the bar,” Rags described the layout. “Beyond that, there is the orchard and the Wellness Centre, in the other direction the car parking area and the storage barn that Paul, Bea’s brother, uses for his classic car rental business.”